JS was right at the end of his career then 1970.I saw him register three against Tommy Voll at Knowsley Road in his pomp. No mean feat. I had just a cameo role at the Chemics as a stop gap. Funny in those days nearly every worthwhile Lancashire footballer finished their days at either Blackpool or Knotty Ash. As well as Stopford, Billy Boston and the immortal Brian Bevan finished up there.

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

Station Road (One of the biggest playing surfaces I have ever seen)Gigg Lane (Our temporary home, where we scared Sintelins in a cup game)Moor Lane (A truely dreadful surface that must have made the previous players turn in their duvets)Borough Park (Right next to Blackpool FC, and the Greyhound Stadium)Alt Park (One of the worst places I have ever visited)Wilderspool (Don't wear away colours, said my cousin, how right he was, violent thugs)Central Park (A superb arena, one of the best for watching RL)Knowsley Road (I Cycled here to watch Swinton @ Sts to start my speccy career in 77, a Lancs cup defeat, 49-3, but they never gave up)Thrum Hall (Then back to Colin Dixon's pub)Fartown (where I played in 1979, Colleges Cup Final, Salford Tech v Hudd Uni)Most of the London Grounds (See another thread)The Willows (See another thread, RIP, at least we got closure here)Tattersfield (A dreadful, sh1thole of a pitch, I remember going here after playing on Station Rd, and wondering, why the hell?)Brunton Park (My Mam's Mam died when we were returning from the game here in Ladywell Hospital)The Brewery Field (I was delayed getting there due to a "Passenger Incedent" at Swindon)Cardiff City's Ground (Forgive me I forget what it was called) (Saw 1984's Kangaroos v Wales here)Victory Park, Chorley (I had an Epileptic fit on the way back from here)Athletic Grounds (One of my first away games, in the Cup)Watersheddings (Almost my 3rd ground I used to spend so much time here, I saw a Wire fan throw an Oldham fan off the top tier of the double stand and then throw his crutches after him in a Lancs Cup game)Hilton Park (I remember Hull KR winning the Championship here, and celebrating in the main stand before their game was over because the 2nd place team had lost by radio - those were the days)Elland Road (When New Hunslet used it as their home ground)

Swinton RLFC est 1866 - Supplying England with players when most of your clubs were in nappies

JS was right at the end of his career then 1970.I saw him register three against Tommy Voll at Knowsley Road in his pomp. No mean feat. I had just a cameo role at the Chemics as a stop gap. Funny in those days nearly every worthwhile Lancashire footballer finished their days at either Blackpool or Knotty Ash. As well as Stopford, Billy Boston and the immortal Brian Bevan finished up there.

Leeds had a player Eddie Ratclffe never a regular in the first team,but he always and particularlly in the 1961 season he was put in against Vollenhoven with the orders to mark him closely,and he stopped the great man.

but you and I weve been through that and this is not our fate.
So let us so let us not talk falsely now.
The hour is getting late
FROM 2004,TO DO WHAT THIS CLUB HAS DONE,IF THATS NOT GREATNESSTHEN i DONT KNOW WHAT IS.

I once played soccer at the City Road ground, the home of St Helens Recs in the late 50s. It felt great to be getting changed in the same dressing room as the members of their Mangling Machine once did: Smith, Fildes and Mulvaney.

www.geofflee.net for news of my novels, One Winter, One Spring, One Summer, One Autumn and Two Seasons. All are written against a strong Rugby League background, set in South Lancashire and inspired by the old saying about work: "They could write a book about this place. It would be a best seller".

Often visited Knotty Ash home of Liverpool City. The Chemics played a memorable Cup tie there. It was the first ever away game for me. Bought a Yates coach ticket for 3s-9p and had it on the mantle-piece in the living room for a week checking its validity each morning. A bit later re-visited on my bike going up to Rainhill and on via Prescott. Mike Brocken's book on Liverpool City a great read.

JH wasn't Kent St. I was brought up in Dickson St. It was the next one down with Piles Butchers on the corner! Cream charabanc with green flash. One day we arrived at Keighley at half time when the driver got us lost on the moors and we couldn't cross a stream as the bridge on this remote short cut was too narrow.

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

JH wasn't Kent St. I was brought up in Dickson St. It was the next one down with Piles Butchers on the corner! Cream charabanc with green flash. One day we arrived at Keighley at half time when the driver got us lost on the moors and we couldn't cross a stream as the bridge on this remote short cut was too narrow.

Agree it wasn't Kent St, just know it was in the vicinity.

Remember going to Hull for the cup tie in 1975, everywhere we went in Hull there was a coach going in the opposite direction.

Glad you mentioned that, I was about to. Went to quite a few games when Blackpool upped sticks and moved in on Wigan's turf. A cracking set of supporters and thoroughly enjoyed their company at every game I went to.

I lined up one day opposite the great winger John Stopford at Borough Park.Never visited Blackpool's earlier home of St Annes Greyhound Stadium further down the coast.

Often visited Knotty Ash home of Liverpool City. The Chemics played a memorable Cup tie there. It was the first ever away game for me. Bought a Yates coach ticket for 3s-9p and had it on the mantle-piece in the living room for a week checking its validity each morning. A bit later re-visited on my bike going up to Rainhill and on via Prescott. Mike Brocken's book on Liverpool City a great read.

As an old pedant can can I point out that the fare would have been . 3s-9d (3/9d.) d not p

Err NO............... unless by NOT in the same place you mean 1/2 mile away.

Ah, my mistake. I visited the old Hilton Park ground many times over the years but haven't been to Leigh for ages, well since they dropped from SL. There used to be an amateur ground somewhere between a quarter and half a mile further out of town from HP(leigh Miners?) which we always used to pass on the way in, is that where it is?

The Boulevard was awful. Bramleys Daisy stand was moved to cover the teraces but actually only covered the walkway at the back - it was bonkers.

Nostalgia is wonderful - all my 70's trips to these grounds were great days out. but yes the grounds themselves weren't that great, but many were historic.

I guess some you showed were the "nomadic" grounds that the small "new" clubs of the 1980's inhabited, I didn't go chasing to those grounds as many weren't RL grounds from the birth of the game.

In order I did not recognise 15, 16, 18, 19, 21.....

Anyone oblige??

Thank you again for that..............

I thought the old PARKSIDE ground was wonderful .Wish some one could post a pic of that place

but you and I weve been through that and this is not our fate.
So let us so let us not talk falsely now.
The hour is getting late
FROM 2004,TO DO WHAT THIS CLUB HAS DONE,IF THATS NOT GREATNESSTHEN i DONT KNOW WHAT IS.